WINSTON-SALEM – Wake Forest lost one starter from its offensive line and the safety who scored a pivotal special teams touchdown against Vanderbilt.

Coach Dave Clawson said guard Nick Sharpe will miss “at least 6-8 weeks” with an injury he suffered on Wake’s first play of the second half in Saturday’s 36-20 win over Vanderbilt.

Brendon Harris, who scored on the fumbled punt return late in the first half, will “probably be out for 4-6 weeks” because of a second-half, non-contact injury. That came against his former team, as Harris is in his second season with the Deacons after transferring from Vanderbilt.

They’re not injuries that will immediately cripple the Deacons; they are the type they can’t afford to have pile up, though.

“That’s always our battle here, right?” Clawson said. “Because of how we run the program, because we’re still trying to redshirt people, these injuries have a tendency to thin us out. I think the good thing is we have some freshmen this year that, if we can stay healthy through October, I think there’s some guys that can really give us some good reinforcements in November.”

Sharpe has started each of Wake’s first two games at right guard. The 6-2, 330-pounder from Gastonia, N.C., earned the third-best run-blocking grade (79.5) against Elon and had the third-best pass-blocking grade (82.1) against Vanderbilt, per Pro Football Focus. He was a first-time starter after being in a competition with Matt Gulbin throughout fall camp.

Replacing Sharpe involves several moving parts up front. Wake Forest is hopeful to have Spencer Clapp back at one of its tackle spots this weekend against Old Dominion; he suited up but didn’t play against Vanderbilt because of a sprained ankle.

In Clapp’s absence, Gulbin started at right tackle and DeVonte Gordon slid to left tackle (where Clapp was against Elon). If Clapp is back, it’d allow Gordon to move back to the right side and for Gulbin to take over at right guard.

Without Clapp, Wake Forest still has options — Gulbin could move inside and Erik Russell could start at right tackle, or Gulbin could stay there and George Sell could slide in at right guard.

The movement to replace Harris in the secondary isn’t as complicated.

Freshman safety Davaughn Patterson stood out early and often from spring practices through fall camp. He’s played sparingly — only 14 snaps against Elon and only special teams against Vanderbilt — and will be pressed into a larger role.

Both of Wake’s nickels — Evan Slocum and Nick Andersen — are former safeties, adding to the versatility. And the Deacons still have starters Chelen Garnes and Malik Mustapha, along with reserve AJ Williams, on the back end.

Where it almost becomes more worrisome is on special teams—and not just because that’s how Harris scored a touchdown last weekend.

“Brendon Harris is a really good special teams player,” Clawson said. “He’s on punt team, he’s on kickoff, kickoff return. I mean, he gave us a lot of valuable reps there. We’re going to have to get another person in there.”

Also on the injury front: Clawson said running back Justice Ellison is “more probable” and linebacker Chase Jones is “possible but probably doubtful” to play at Old Dominion.

Both players missed last weekend’s game because of concussions, and Jones hasn’t played yet this season.